Portsmouth Community Theater, Historical Society to present ‘Ghostly Witness’ play

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. — The Portsmouth Community Theater and Portsmouth Historical Society will present a play, “The Ghostly Witness: The Untimely and Uncertain Death of Rebecca Cornell.”

The play will take place Sunday, Sept. 8, from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Audience Room of the Portsmouth Historical Society Museum, 870 East Main Road, Portsmouth.

This is a free courtroom drama.

Based on an actual transcript of the 1673 murder trial of Thomas Cornell, actors from the Portsmouth Community Theater will portray witnesses that gave testimony during the trial.

This is a smaller cast version of the original “Ghostly Witness” that was performed in honor of Portsmouth’s 375th Anniversary Celebration. After they have heard the evidence, the audience will get a chance to take the role of jurors and vote on the verdict.

Portsmouth Firefighters (Car 2, Engine 1, Engine 3 & Tower Ladder 1) were called to One Little Harbor Landing on Sunday around 19:15 for the report of a small fire. On arrival the firefighters found a fast moving fire in a storage area and made a quick knockdown with in minutes of arrival. Mutual aid was received from Tiverton Fire, Navy Fire, and the State Fire Marshal, who responded to assist with determining the cause of the fire. While covering Portsmouth, Tiverton Car 3 & Tiverton Engine 3 responded to multiple calls including the report of a fire in Common Fence Point called in from Bristol. Navy Fire responded to an EMS call and transported a patient to Newport ER. Thank you to our mutual aid departments and the good samaritan who called in the fire.